I love stories. Whether it is listening to, telling, or creating them, stories spark my interest. I also believe stories are healing in the way they connect us to our own journey. A story is a connected sequence of events that form a narrative. They can be true or fictitious, real or imagined. Stories can feed an interest, teach a lesson, amuse, inspire, or instruct. When engaged with a good story, we are left with a sense that something just happened.
For the most part, a story has meaning or it wouldn’t be told. Each one usually has the structure of a beginning, a middle, and an end. Good stories have conflict or a problem, which then opens the door for our hero to enter. That means there must be a villain! (tee hee) We all want a story with a happy ending or a resolution. Not all stores of real events reach this goal. That’s okay, too, because we get to share the experience regardless of the outcome.
I get pulled into stories because they are links to understanding human nature. There is the primal essence of timelessness in a story. Traditions, myths, and patterns of human life are powerful reminders of who I am and who I want to become. Stories let you decide your own place in the world. They can actually alter our brains, change the way we think, and influence our actions. These are the things that get me excited about writing. I get to share that excitement with a whisper from spirit on stories:
You have stories because of the shared energy known as consciousness. Stories have been delivered through media, starting with cave drawings. Information has been communicated and chronicled through music, art, and other forms of storytelling. The beginning of the human journey was the first story ever told.
Stories move beyond the limitations of technology by delivering a core experience. They connect humans to the larger shared truth of humanity. When stories express a conflict, the human mind takes notice. The brain becomes more alert and focused. Resolution or the end of the conflict sets the mind at ease to create a pleasure response. What follows is an inspiration though the knowledge that problems can be overcome.
A story can provide a cognitive map that helps with making decisions. The hero’s journey provides a chance to mirror the experience of the characters in the story. Empathy for a person facing conflict is like warrior training. It prepares you for intense situations that are similar by involving you in a story with a safety net. When the unexpected occurs in a story, one can learn a new way of being.
Stories help you experience walking in another person’s shoes. Becoming one with the character is an act of evolution. Fear or resistance is lowered in the imagination of being someone else. One gets to play an uncommon role. By becoming a participant, creativity becomes the foundation for self-discovery and innovation. You become an agent of change. Your story is unique and something to share as the essence of your existence. Give meaning and purpose to life by living your best story. Love will find your heart as you write the next chapter.
Bring joy, ease suffering and create beauty, then dance like you mean it!
Blessings, Russell
“There’s always room for a story that can transport people to another place.”
J.K. Rowling
